Summer is certainly in full-swing here, even though it doesn’t officially start until June 21 (?).  I’m working and for the first time and really missing being a teacher.  I loved having the option of having my summer off.  But now that I am working a full-time gig and Noah’s in summer camp and Zoë will start school next year, I am already starting to be sad that I won’t be off in the summer to hang with them.  It’s crazy I know.  But, I want it all.  I want to hang with the kids and I want to work.  It’s depressing to realize that you can’t have it all no matter how bad you want it.  It’s all part of growing up, yada, yada, yada…

Noah is loving summer and camp.  He has his first swimming lesson through camp yesterday and he thought it was awesome.  He put his head in the water and blew bubbles, floated on his back and did a few other things.  He thought it was really cool and was proud that he wasn’t even scared.  He is certainly one of those kids who does better with new things when mom and dad aren’t there.  He also got to go on his first field trip and was so excited about getting to ride on one of his schools’ 3 buses and wants to do it everyday. I certainly love that I can pick him up from Camp and spend some time with him in the afternoon end evening–I really do want to be able to have it all. He has started tennis lessons as well and thinks that is great.  He and Zoë both have swimming lessons starting in a couple weeks together.  That’ll be fun.

Zoë is starting to potty-train.  She is ready and wants to wear underwear really bad.  She is quite different than Noah was.  When he was ready–he was ready and that was it.  He put on underwear and went forth.  Zoë is requiring quite a bit more work than Noah did–or is that just my mom memory where you forget how hard a stage is until you go through it again?  She goes 1000 times once we are home from the babysitter and it is hilarious because one drop of pee comes out and she is all “me peed on potty.” I just smile, hug her and tell her yes she did.  She can’t wait to be a big girl.  She is great at the sitters with peeing on the potty (she knows she can’t start school next year unless she is potty-trained).  She won’t be going to Noah’s school next fall–I just don’t think she will be ready yet.  But she is going to start going to the university’s child development center–which is located on the campus I work at.  It’s top notch and uber-convenient (unless, I am traveling for work and Bill has to bring her–than not so much).  We certainly love her current baby-sitter but I am a huge proponent/believer in early-childhood education and do believe it is the absolute most important indicator of future student success.  So, we’ll see if they have room for her in the fall.

I’m teaching my last class at the community college for a while–I’m just too busy and it’s not fair to the students to get a teacher who only has time to give half of what needs to be be given.  I love my class this semester–they are all older and many of them older women.  But they are all so eager and serious and really want to learn to write better.  They don’t believe that they are going to get better no matter how much I promise them.  They talk and debate and have opinions.  It is refreshing and awesome.  It’s going to be a great 7 more weeks with them.

How is your summer shaping up so far?

I am reminded nearly everyday how fast my kiddos are growing.  This past weekend we went to our neighborhood Easter egg hunt.  I am reminded of how the first year we went to an Easter egg hunt I had to follow him around and help him put eggs in his basket.  Last year he was much better but then I had to follow Zoë around and put eggs in her basket and shield her from the Easter Bunny.  This year was totally different.  Zoë stalked the Easter Bunny and when it was time to get eggs–both my kids were off like a shot and filled their baskets.  Zoë even help little kids put eggs into their baskets because hers was full.  It was an awesome day but also a little bittersweet.  They are growing so fast and I’m not really sure that I like that.  Is there a way to stop that?

Noah got a new bike for his birthday and he rode it almost a mile yesterday.  My little boy who just last fall got tired riding it a few blocks.  Now–he’s all energy and boy.

It really makes me realize these are such moments to cherish as they will need me less and less as time flies on whether I want it to or not.  This is part of parenting that I just not a big fan of.